Email deliverability refers to the ability of an email to reach the recipient's inbox successfully. It depends on several factors such as email authentication, IP reputation, content and engagement rates. Successful email deliverability means that the email has not been rejected or marked as spam.
Email authentication helps in identifying and verifying the sender of the email. DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) and SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record are two commonly used email authentication methods. They prevent spammers from spoofing sender emails, reduce the chances of emails being marked as spam, and increase email deliverability.
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) track sender IP addresses and assign them reputation scores based on past behavior. A bad reputation score could lead to an increase in bounce rates and a decrease in deliverability. Consistent good practices such as sending relevant content and avoiding spam complaints could help maintain a good IP reputation.
Blacklists are lists maintained by ISPs to identify senders who have been marked for suspicious a activities such as spamming, phishing or malware distribution. Being listed on a blacklist can cause emails to be blocked or diverted to spam folders. Monitoring blacklists regularly is imperative to maintain good reputation scores and deliverability.
Whitelists work in contrast with blacklists by identifying trusted senders pre-approved by ISPs. Sender-authenticated emails with no past complaints or issues get added to ISP whitelists, resulting in better inbox placement rates for future emails.
ISPs use algorithms that analyze engagement rates such as open rate, click-through-rate, and unsubscribe rate to determine whether emails are being delivered into recipient’s inboxes or spam folders. Relevant content that prompts engagement from subscribers, and avoids spammy words, is vital for better email deliverability.
Improving email deliverability requires a combination of technical optimization, quality content, responsible sending practices and consistent monitoring of engagement rates. Authentication techniques such as DKIM and SPF records, avoiding blacklists and maintaining good IP reputation, targeting relevant content for subscribers and optimizing email copy, list hygiene and frequency are all essential to achieving better email deliverability.
